


Back Pocket

by SaharraShadow



Category: NCIS: Los Angeles
Genre: Fluff, M/M, h/c
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-08-21
Updated: 2010-08-21
Packaged: 2017-10-11 04:44:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/108543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaharraShadow/pseuds/SaharraShadow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>We're co-dependent, but it works for us.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Back Pocket

**Author's Note:**

  * For [whiteraven1606](https://archiveofourown.org/users/whiteraven1606/gifts).



Callen sat back and listened to the rhythmic thumping of the punching bag as Sam pounded on it. Dom had been gone two weeks. They'd buried him and given his parents the private mementos that they hadn't squirreled away ten days ago. Sam had started this newest ritual a week ago. The office would clear, their co-workers going home…heading out…doing something. Callen stayed behind, intending to be the last out like normal. But this wasn't normal. This wasn't the before or during. It was after Dom and it was different. Sam's behavior hammered that home every afternoon when he left Callen to the wrap-up and stalked up the stairs to swing his fist at the memories of bullets, blood, and more bad luck than skill could counter.

The clock hands met on eight and he sat forward, the wheels of his chair clattering into place on the floor. The pencil landed in the holder with a dull clink and the last of his reports rustled slightly as he flipped it shut. In the background, all the thumping grew slower until it stopped. Pushing away from his desk, Callen sighed as he stood and gathered together his things. The purposeful click of footsteps echoed down the stairs and through the silent office area until Sam came to a stop before him. Callen turned and studied his partner. There were new lines on Sam's face. Lines of exhaustion and tension. They'd been there that morning when he'd knocked on the window of Sam's Challenger and woke him up before sliding into the passenger side and tossing his duffle in the back. And now, tension riding in his shoulders, he watched as Sam stood there stiffly, waiting for a fight that he wasn't going to get. He'd had the urge to change residences almost daily since Dom's kidnapping. Sam showing up and camping out wherever he happened to be staying the past two weeks had meant that he managed to stay somewhere longer than one night. Nate would probably tell him he had co-dependency issues to go with his paranoia, but it seemed to work for them.

"So, where are you tonight, G?"

"You know, Sam." He paused, glancing at his partner. "I'm getting tired of pretending I don't know you're dogging me every night." Sam narrowed his eyes, but before he could argue, Callen added, "So I get clean sheets if I camp out on your couch, right?"

Sam's mouth snapped shut. Bemused, he relaxed and nodded in agreement. "I'll even pull out its bed and let you throw that ratty bag of yours on it."

"I'll need something to soften that bed of rocks you call a couch."

"Think you've been sleeping on the floor too long if you can't tell the difference between a top of the line couch and a floor, G."

"Yeah, yeah." He bumped lightly against Sam's side before turning to the door and heading for the parking lot. Pausing with a hand on the door, he turned back to Sam and dangled the keys he'd snitched. "You coming?"

"What the... " Scrambling for the door, Sam chased half-heartedly after him as the door slammed shut behind them. "Hell, G. You better not get another ticket or Hetty'll have us both in traffic school!"

***

Callen woke at the slight scuffling of bare feet on hardwood floors. That wasn't unusual. Sam had checked up on him every night since he'd moved in. He hadn't minded. It'd let him know Sam was fine and reassured Sam that he hadn't ducked out. He hadn't even suggested heading back to one of the myriad of hotels he switched between. It'd been a quick check and then Sam would scuffle back into his room and they'd both head back to sleep. At least that'd been the pattern up until three days ago.

Biting back a sigh, he opened one eye just enough to catch the shadow Sam cast from his position at the end of the pull-out bed. It wasn't that he minded Sam standing there, but hell. They'd been run ragged by this last case and he wanted some sleep. Uninterrupted sleep. He'd already had to deal with Sam's mother-henning over the cuts he'd received from one idiot's attempt to knife him. They'd been barely deep enough to bother with. He hadn't even needed bandages, just some disinfectant and a coating of liquid skin before he'd been let off with a warning to watch for infection.

He tipped his head to the side and glared half heartedly at his partner. "Sam."

Sam jerked back, startled. "G!"

"Yeah, me," he groused, sitting up. Rubbing at his aching eyes, he waved Sam over and listened as Sam cautiously stepped up beside the bed. Yawning, Callen scooted towards the opposite side, dragging one of his pillows with him. "Sit."

Chuckling, Sam perched on the edge of the bed. "What have you got on your mind?"

"A solution," Callen grumbled before bringing his weight to bear and shoving Sam down onto the bed.

Surprised at the move, Sam resisted at first before following Callen's insistent prodding and arranging himself on the half of the bed his friend had vacated. Once satisfied, Callen yawned and settled back down, ignoring Sam's startled 'Hey!' as Callen half-laid on him. Callen waited, tense and ready to move if necessary until an arm settled around his waist and pulled him in tighter. Smiling, he closed his eyes and relaxed, placing a kiss on the nearest bit of bare skin. Amused and content, he muttered "The whole co-dependency thing is cute...when it's not at a batshit insane hour of the morning."

"You're just as bad as I am."

"Never denied it. Now shut up and sleep or we'll never get to the sex part."

"Why the hell not?" Sam waited, expecting another snappy answer. "G?"

The soft, steady sound of his partner's breathing was his only reply. Groaning softly, Sam slammed his head back into his pillow. "And it was finally getting interesting." Tightening his arm around Callen's waist, he smiled and closed his eyes. But he could wait. There'd be tomorrow and the forty something hours they had left before having to show up for work again.


End file.
